 | Hong Zhang
is the General Manager for Golden China Super Buffet restaurant. He was born in southeast China in Fujian. He came to the United States and attended school in the Washington, D.C. area. He began his career in the restaurant business in 1993 at Mu Dan Da Jiu Lou, an exclusive restaurant in Fujian, China. He then returned to the United States where he helped establish: Golden China Super Buffet in Amarillo, Texas; Cafe China in Midland, Texas; Rice Farm Restaurant in San Angelo, Texas. In 1999 Mr. Zhang moved to Wichita to establish the two Golden China Supper Buffet restaurants located in east and west Wichita. Mr. Zhang can be reached by phone at (316) 683-9898 or by e-mail at Iasiah99@aol.com |
Food & Drink
2002-02-01 16:35:00
Peking duck... there are lots of different ways to prepare
Question: One of my favorite dishes when dining out is Peking Roasted Duck. I find however that it can be prepared a number of ways by different chefs, resulting in several unique tastes. Most dishes that are the same taste similar regardless of where you enjoy them. Why is Peking Duck different? Why can't there be a universal way to prepare it?
Answer: Traditional Peking Duck dates back to the 13th and 14th century when it was only enjoyed by the Chinese royal family and their court in what is now Beijing. By the 17th century the methods of cultivating these exceptional ducks improved so that local restaurants could offer this gourmet delicacy. The ducks are kept in individual cages and force fed so they grow plump with no muscle. Beijing was called "Peking" before the 1950's. Peking is the Cantonese pronunciation of the capital city of China. Beijing is the Mandarin pronunciation of the same city. In Chinese calligraphy the words are identical. Since Peking Duck had already attained fame throughout the world of cuisine the name has stayed the same. Nowadays, not too many chefs follow these traditional procedures, especially those outside of Beijing. In the United States almost all ducks eaten are of the Peking variety, as they were initially imported from China. Originally the preparation of Peking Duck required the following eight steps: 1. Empty the inside body of the duck; 2. Clean and marinate the duck, 3. Hang dry, 4. Broil the skin, 5. Brush the skin with sweet solution, 6. Hang dry again, 7. Pump air into the duck which allows even heat distribution, 8. Roast/barbecue the duck. In most places in the United States hanging non-refrigerated meat to dry for several hours is not allowed by food handling regulations. Some cities, such as San Francisco's Chinatown, have made exceptions so Peking Duck can still be prepared and served commercially. Traditional Peking Duck is more shadow than substance as the diner never sees the duck itself. Wealthy Chinese enjoyed the crisp skin, roasted to a beautiful glossy brown which took a whole day to prepare. The meat of the duck was of such secondary importance that it was just given to the servants. Today Peking Duck will often be served in two courses; the first is the crispy skin with Mandarin pancakes (or crepes) and a sweet, spicy hoisin sauce. This is a sublime dish - even if the fat may not be good for your arteries. The second course is the remaining duck meat, which may be stir-fried with bean sprouts and veggies in a rich brown sauce. Sometimes a restaurant will include other courses utilizing all parts of the duck.Over the centuries innumerable methods of preparing Peking Duck have been developed. Modern machine made tools and equipment have changed cooking techniques. You can easily find many recipes for preparing Peking Duck if you search the Internet, or refer to a good Chinese or International Cookbook. Peking Duck has a long and fascinating history and whether prepared traditionally, or with a derived recipe, it is a superb eating event.
